Besides satiating thirst for alcohol, vodka is used in folk medicines for healing certain ailments. Enlisted here are a few health uses of vodka.
1. Poison ivy
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is an indigenous plant of North America. It is primarily found in the wooded areas of USA and Canada. Exposure to urushiol, a compound present in the sap of the plant, triggers severe allergic reactions. It is estimated that more than 350,000 people in the US suffer from poison ivy induced allergic reactions each year. However, the itchy rashes could be prevented by rubbing vodka on the affected area of the skin immediately after it has been exposed to the poison ivy plant sap. By washing away urushiol from the skin, alcohol present in vodka stops the allergic reaction.
2. Repel insects
The common DEET-based insect repellants that kill the bugs in your home could also harm your health. Vodka could be used as a safer alternative to the harmful insecticides. By spraying a small amount of vodka on the bothersome bugs, you can keep insects away from your house. Vodka is especially effective as a natural mosquito, ant, wasp and bee repellant. When outdoors in a mosquito infested area, you can protect yourself from mosquito bites by rubbing vodka on the exposed parts of your body.
3. Jellyfish stings
The intense pain and burning that one experiences after being stung by jellyfish could be reduced with vodka. By disinfecting and inactivating the stinging cells present on the affected area, vodka helps to alleviate the discomfort caused by the jellyfish venom. However, vodka could be used only as a first aid to jellyfish stings. In some cases, hypersensitivity to jellyfish venom might stimulate serious health complications that require medical intervention.
4. Toothache
If you are too busy to seek an appointment with your dentist or if a toothache occurs in the middle of the night, you might search for alternative remedies to heal the bothersome pain. If you have a bottle of vodka in your house, pour some in a cup and rinse your mouth with the beverage. The alcohol in the drink helps to numb the gum. Moreover, the disinfectant effect of alcohol helps to kill the germs responsible for the gum infection. However, vodka provides only a temporary solution to your oral problem.
5. Hair conditioner
For beautiful shiny hair, you can try rinsing your hair with vodka. Some hair stylists claim that vodka is even better than shampoo and conditioner. Add half a cup of vodka to a bottle of shampoo and use it for washing your hair. Vodka enhances the cleansing property of the shampoo. It is especially effective in stopping the frizz. It helps to dissolve chemicals left behind on the scalp and hair after using a hair styling product.
